Grantmaking

The Brooks Fund’s Grant Making

With the help of our generous donors, supporters and volunteers over the past 20 years, The Brooks Fund of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee has granted over $223,900 to a variety of nonprofit organizations.

These organizations offer a wide range of services to the Middle Tennessee community including:
• cultural activities like film festivals and plays
• outreach programs focusing on crisis management, violence prevention, and healthcare access
• youth programs offering counseling, mentoring, and scholarships
• community services such as hotlines, peer counseling, and support groups
• training programs on topics of sensitivity/diversity, youth issues, and safety.

The Brooks Fund is committed to increasing its endowment and support of worthy organizations that are working to build bridges and break down barriers. The Brooks Fund annually accepts grant applications from Middle Tennessee nonprofits supporting the LGBTQ community, through The Community Foundation’s discretionary grant process.

Grant Making snapshot of the past eight years:

2015Oasis Center, Inc. – To support efforts creating positive change for LGBTQ youth in their lives, in our communities, and throughout our systems.
Jewish Family Services of Nashville and Middle Tennesse, Inc. – To provide support for adoption home studies, coordinating placement and post-placement services for LGBTQ families.

2014Tennessee Equality Project Foundation – Equality Means Business campaign is a program to identify businesses that do not discriminate against their customers or employees based on sexual orientation or gender identity. This program gives businesses a volunteer way to show inclusiveness and send a signal that they are welcoming of the LGBTQ community.

Nashville in Harmony – Goals initiative are to promote the arts the mission of the organization through the area youth, including spring season concert with Hunters Lane High School located in Nashville, TN.

Jewish Family Services of Nashville and Middle Tennessee – Continence supporting home studies and coordinate child placement and post-placement services to the LGBTQ community.

Oasis Center, Inc. – LGBTQ youth led program called #SMOKEFREERAINBOWS, Targeting the disproportionately high rates of smoking in the LGBTQ community. Advertising campaign and engaging with the community to promote anti-smoking.

2013
Jewish Family Service of Nashville and Middle Tennessee – To support adoption home studies, coordinating placement and post-placement services to the gay and lesbian community.

Middle Tennessee State University Foundation – To support the presentation of first LGBTQ College Conference for 30 TBR Institutions and Middle Tennessee community organizations.

Oasis Center – To support LGBTQ youth as they create positive change in their lives and in the community.

2012Jewish Family Service of Nashville and Middle Tennessee – To provide support for adoption home studies, coordinating placement and post-placement services for the gay and lesbian community.

Oasis Center – To provide a safe and affirming place for LGBTQ youth to participate in changing their community.

2011Jewish Family Service of Nashville and Middle Tennessee, Inc. – To conduct adoption home studies, coordinate child placement and post-placement services to the gay and lesbian community.

Nashville in Harmony – To help underwrite outreach and performance activities for the 2011/2012 season, “Mosaic…Voices for Change.”

Oasis Center, Inc. – To support the “Just Us” program, which is dedicated to helping lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth to achieve their full potential.

2010
Nashville Film Festival – To support the LGBTQ programs at the annual Nashville Film Festival which provides a platform for education, entertainment and enlightenment by connecting communities and fostering a greater understanding and tolerance.

Nashville in Harmony – To help underwrite outreach and performance activities for the 2010/2011 season, “A Home for Us All.”

2009
Abintra Montessori School –To underwrite the costs of videos and lesson guides for parent education sessions around LGBTQ issues.

Nashville in Harmony – To produce a collaborative chorus concert piece with Voices of Kentuckiana.

People’s Branch Theatre -To support artistic fees and production costs for the Obie award-winning musical “Hedwig and the Angry Inch.

2008
Abintra Montessori School –To provide support to gay and lesbian families on how to explain their parental configuration or parents of classmates.

Nashville Film Festival – To host LGBTQ films and filmmakers during the annual film festival.

Nashville in Harmony – To create a chorus performance piece to be performed at a concert in May.

OutCentral, Inc. – To develop a community calendar and database of nonprofit organizations serving the LGBTQ community.